Cutting spending one of candidate’s main goals

This is the final in a series of profiles on Oceanside City Council Candidates.

OCEANSIDE — The ninth time running for City Council may be the charm for Michael Lucas, who is in the race once more for a seat in the June 8 election.
Lucas is 67 years old and a self-proclaimed “cheapskate” and “tightwad.” Lucas said he wants to protect taxpayers’ investments and stop any needless city spending. He also said spending needs to be limited to essential services, especially in these tough economic times.
“We need to get back to the basics — road maintenance, traffic light timing, tree trimming,” Lucas said. Other essentials Lucas wants to focus on are water, sewer, trash, police, fire, libraries, parks and medical services.
Lucas said citizens can almost always count on him to cast a no vote when it comes to additional city spending.
He is adamant about putting a cap on city salaries and pension benefits. “Spending has to be controlled,” Lucas said.
Lucas also wants to cut costs and combine public service agencies, recruit more city volunteers, and stop doling out incentives to businesses.
Lucas said he feels it is his responsibility to take a stand when he disagrees with how the government runs things. He filed two lawsuits against the state of California as a government employee. Both cases were settled in his favor. “You can’t complain unless you’re willing to participate,” Lucas said.
Lucas is a college graduate, engineer, teacher and retired supervisor of the Bureau of Automotive Repair.
Lucas said as a state employee he observed firsthand how government spending can get out of control.
Lucas also says he can spot government waste big and small. As an example, on a city level he said Oceanside street sweeping is not cost-effective. To get the job done it takes a street sweeping team and parking enforcement officers to issue tickets for cars illegally parked on street sweeping days. Lucas adds that the brushes that are used scratch and erode streets causing the need for additional cleaning and road maintenance. Lucas wants to fine-tune how things are done.
Lucas is not discouraged by his prior losses at a City Council seat. He wants to deliver his message of prudent city spending to voters.
“I’m trying to make a difference and bring my generation’s ideas to the polls,” Lucas said.
See a video statement from Michael Lucas at www.
coastnewsgroup.com.